Hartford's Boosters Count Their Blessings

After six weeks of listening to what's right with other cities, the audience at the Hartford in Perspective series Wednesday was ready to talk about changing what's wrong with Hartford.

But the standing-room-only crowd of about 170 people who showed up for the 7:30 a.m. meeting at the Old State House never got the chance. Instead, seven panel members talked about what's already right with Hartford: efforts to clean up downtown, find a vision for the city, recapture the riverfront, fix up the Old State House, complete the Griffin Line rail line and encourage small businesses.

"We're too negative about what we have here," said Joseph Marfuggi, executive director of Riverfront Recapture Inc., a 10-year-old organization dedicated to reuniting the city with its Connecticut River frontage. Speakers from six other cities who attended previous meetings said Hartford has a better image outside the state than its residents realize. They also praised the city's parks and historic buildings, its neighborhoods, a strong corporate presence, the Hartford Guides and Pratt Street.

Topping the list of problems the visitors pointed out were indifference, the lack of partnerships between various sectors of the community, dirty streets and the four empty lots downtown. The empty lots also showed up on the plus side, as a development opportunity.

The Griffin Line, a rail line that would link Hartford, Bloomfield and Windsor with Bradley International Airport, is close to becoming a reality, said Jonathan Colman of The Rideshare Company.

And several panel members noted that their efforts represent public-private partnerships already under way.

The Hartford Guides program, Riverfront Recapture, Hartford Proud & Beautiful and the Park/Shop/Dine program all represent partnerships between business and local government. And Riverfront Recapture is a partnership among elements of the private and local, state and federal governments, Marfuggi said.

Mayor Carrie Saxon Perry said the city's cultural diversity

should be highlighted. "There's a need for people to understand that this is a gift and not a disaster," she said.

The series was to have concluded Wednesday, but, at the request of audience members, another meeting has been scheduled for participants to talk about the city's problems and volunteer to help solve them. That meeting will begin at 7:30 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Old State House. More information can be obtained by calling the Greater Hartford Architecture Conservancy at 525-0279.